The US Federal Trade Commission has appealed to the Court of Appeals and criticized Microsoft's plans to change PC/Xbox Game Pass tariff plans. This was reported by The Verge.
Microsoft has announced that it is raising prices for PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and plans to soon launch a new Game Pass Standard tier without the first day of access to third-party Xbox games.
The Federal Trade Commission calls this new Game Pass Standard tier an "inferior product" because it will cost more than the current console subscription option, but offer less - it will not include access to third-party games on release day.
“Microsoft’s price increases and product degradation — combined with Microsoft’s reduced investments in output and product quality via employee layoffs — are the hallmarks of a firm exercising market power post-merger,” FTC said in a statement.
The Commission still disagrees with the court's authorization of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC's appeal, to which the above appeal was filed, is currently under consideration.
The full text of the appeal is available here.